Oliva NUB

The brilliant mind behind Oliva Zigarren at the time, José Oliva, set out in the late 2000s to create something new and unusual in the cigar industry. The goal was to develop a cigar that would unleash full strength and spice right from the moment it was lit—so to speak, from the very first draw.

NUB Zigarren by Oliva: Origin and History

Today, the NUB Zigarren are available in many different versions, with the name indicating the wrapper used in each case. It comes in four varieties: Kamerun (Cameroon), Sun Grown, Maduro, or Connecticut. Some versions were later offered in tubos, before the Oliva family introduced the so-called Fresh Packs for a short time in early 2015. These were individually sealed cigars that are aroma-sealed, making them ideal for travel. In this Fresh Pack, the cigars remain fresh for up to 2 years even without a humidor. Apparently, this type of packaging did not prevail; none are currently available.

Special Characteristics of NUB Zigarren

It is hard to imagine today, but at the time this cigar shape was truly exceptional and previously unknown. In a sense, the NUB established an entirely new category, demonstrating to aficionados that it is a genuinely good idea for more different filler tobaccos to burn simultaneously due to the larger burning surface, thereby releasing their aromas at the same time. The name NUB roughly means “cigar stub” and was chosen to make it clear that this cigar would taste so good that one would want to smoke it down to the very “last bit.” Sam Leccia came on board; he was presented publicly as the driving force and originator of the NUB Serie and toured the USA and the world as a promoter and cigar roller for the line.

Format, Aroma, and Smoking Time of NUB Zigarren

When it was launched, the unusual format of the NUB, measuring around 10 centimeters in length with a diameter varying between 23 and 26 mm, was highly unconventional. Precisely because of this, however, the NUB delivers a very aromatic, complex, and cool smoking experience throughout. Its smoking time is generally no less than 45 minutes.

Sam Leccia and the Current Situation of NUB Zigarren

José was right: the NUB did in fact create its own product category, which has since been widely copied. Sam Leccia has not been with Oliva for a long time. From the summer of 2013 onward, he launched his own cigar brand, produced by the Toranos. Both the Torano Zigarren and Sam in this combination have no longer existed since 2016. Since 2019, he has operated a small U.S. cigar mail-order business and, more recently, an appealing lounge called Stogiebird in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.